Colorado Rockies shortstop Tulowitzki off to terrific start

By Patrick Saunders

The Denver Post

Posted:
05/20/2014 07:07:03 PM MDT

Click photo to enlarge

Troy Tulowitzki #2 of the Colorado Rockies hits a solo home run during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field on Sunday in Denver. The Rockies defeated the Padres 8-6 in 10 innings.

The cute and cuddly story line surrounding Troy Tulowitzki goes like this: Becoming a father for the first time has helped him mature and directly led to his stupendous start.

Make no mistake: Tulowitzki loves his 5-month-old son, Taz Tatum Tulowitzki. Tulo often brings Taz into the Rockies' clubhouse and shows him off to the guys. A purple T-shirt with "TAZ" blazed across the front, graffiti style, is an essential part of Tulo's pregame wardrobe.

But tiny Taz is not the reason Tulo leads the National League with 13 home runs and a .393 batting average, with the Rockies looking like National League West contenders as they open a three-game series with the first-place San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night at Coors Field.

Nor is tucking Taz into bed at night responsible for Tulo's .494 on-base percentage, his .764 slugging percentage and his 4.5 WAR (wins over replacement), all numbers that lead everyone else in baseball — by a wide margin.

"Really, I don't think being a dad is why I'm playing well," Tulowitzki said. "I feel like I really have been the same guy. My wife (Danyll) does all the work. Give her credit. She's the one who gets up at night. She knows how focused I am during the season. I'll make more time for Taz in the offseason."

What, then, is different about Tulo? There are three main reasons a notorious slow starter is off to the best start of his career: focus, improved health and a giant chip on his shoulder.

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"I've been super focused since the day the season ended last year," the shortstop said. "I know there are a lot of doubters out there, people that questioned me, whether it's because of injuries or different things. That really fueled me in all of my workouts."

One wouldn't think that Tulo- witzki, a three-time all-star and two-time Gold Glove winner, would listen to naysayers or read what is written about him, but he does. He embraces criticism and uses it for motivation.

"When people say they don't pay attention to stuff, a lot of times I think they're lying," he said. "I tend to like that stuff for motivation, and I definitely feel like there is a lot of that stuff out there."

For example?

"I can be in a store or something and I'll pick up a baseball fantasy magazine and it says, 'He could be one of the top fantasy guys, but he'll be on the DL again.' Little things like that, when you continually read it over and over, it gives you that little extra incentive," Tulowitzki said. "I think that helped my offseason workouts."

Tulo's average in LoDo: .571

Enter the Rockies' clubhouse and it's common to see Tulowitzki stretching or using a foam roller to loosen his muscles before and after games. He frequently plunges into the cold tub and soaks in the hot tub. He has a hyperbaric oxygen chamber at home to help him recover from baseball's grind.

Tulowitzki is healthier than he has been in years, and it's showing on the field. He's routinely making Tulo-esque defensive plays from the hole. He's hitting for power to all fields — his homer Sunday against the San Diego Padres was a rocket above the right-field scoreboard.

"I don't see anything different with his mechanics," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "I think it's just the case of a very talented player who's in the zone."

Rockies fans have seen the Tulo Zone before, but it's usually later in the season. He hit 15 home runs and knocked in 40 runs in September 2010, the second-best September statistically in baseball history. (Babe Ruth hit 17 home runs and drove in 43 runs in September 1927.)

But, of course, it's impossible to discuss a Rockies slugger without bringing up home-road splits. In Tulo's case, they are dramatic, in part because the season is young. He is hitting an astonishing .571 at Coors Field versus .247 on the road. Eight of his 13 home runs and 24 of his 35 RBIs have come in Denver.

And, chip on Tulo's shoulder or not, there can be no dodging his injury history, which has been the main focus of critics. He has spent 260 days on the disabled list over his eight major-league seasons, according to Baseball Prospectus' injury database. It has become the asterisk attached to his glowing résumé.

This year, though, left fielder Carlos Gonzalez sees Tulowitzki playing with the joy and spirit he did when CarGo joined the Rockies in 2009, the last time the team went to the playoffs.

"It's because he's healthy," said Gonzalez, who is one of Tulo's best friends on the team. "He loves baseball and he loves winning, but his problem has been that he hasn't finished seasons because of injuries. But I believe that if he can stay healthy, don't be surprised about anything.

"Don't be surprised about an MVP or a batting title, homer leader or RBI leader. He's just that good."

"I love playing this game"

Nolan Arenado, the Rockies' prized 23-year-old third baseman whom Tulowitkzi has taken under his wing, sees a veteran shortstop playing with no fear.

"He was good last year, but what he's doing now is a joke," Arenado said. "Even last year, he was afraid of getting hurt. I think it was still in his head. But now he's going out there and showing why he's arguably the best player in the game. And we're winning, and that makes him play even better."

Tulowitzki's intensity — as exemplified by his getting tossed for arguing balls and strikes at Kansas City last week — is legendary. But the more intense the baseball, the more he loves the game.

"I'm not sure people get that, because of how I look on the field — I'm all intense and focused," he said. "But I love playing this game, and I play it with emotion."

Tulo wants to pass on his passion for the game to Taz, just as Tulo's father, Ken, did to him.

"There is no doubt that being able to take Taz into the clubhouse and to the ballpark is something I take a lot of pride in," Tulo said. "I remember as a kid that just being around my dad and his friends when they played softball was special to me. Whether it was in the dugout or on the field, my dad always included me. That was special, so I want to do that for Taz."

Bumgarner, when he's on his game, can dominate. The lefty picked up his fifth win of the season Wednesday despite lasting only five innings and surrendering four runs to the Braves. Expect him to rebound. Morales has been all over the board, and right now he's the weakest link in the rotation. This will be Morales' third game, and second start, against the Giants this season. He pitched one of his best games of 2014 against San Francisco on April 22 at Coors Field, going seven innings and allowing one earned run on five hits. When Morales is on, he's called "effectively wild." When he's off, he's just wild, and opponents take advantage.

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